KOSKINEN LAMENTS STATE OF THE IRS

Some highlights from Commissioner Koskinen’s recent speech to the National Press Club:

-IRS “absolutely deserved” the criticism is has been receiving for things like overspending at conferences and inappropriate scrutiny of some applications for tax exempt status.

-IRS suffers from “brain drain,” in that more than half of its workforce is over 50, and by next year more than 25% will be eligible to retire, and there just isn’t enough money available for hiring and training of enough younger replacements.

-Taxpayer “service” is suffering due to budget cuts, resulting in the level of telephone assistance to taxpayers registering below 40% – more than six out of every 10 folks who call simply cannot reach a human being to help resolve their problem.